Seoul International School is one of the established American curriculum schools serving the Seoul region, founded in 1973 and set on a campus in Seongnam, just beyond the southern edge of the city in Gyeonggi Province. It was the first foreign school after Korea's liberation to be fully recognised by the Ministry of Education, and it is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. For relocating families the questions are how the American pathway and Advanced Placement work, where the campus sits relative to the city, and where the fees land, and this profile addresses each.
Seoul International School at a glance
| Detail | Summary |
|---|---|
| Curriculum and exam boards | American college preparatory curriculum in English, with a strong Advanced Placement programme reported to include 24 AP courses and the AP Capstone diploma path |
| Stages | Elementary through to high school, roughly ages 5 to 18, on a single campus |
| Founded | 1973; the first foreign school after Korea's liberation to be fully recognised by the Ministry of Education |
| Accreditation | Accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), first accredited in 1979 |
| Fee band | Premium band for the Seoul region, alongside the city's leading American and IB schools |
| Campus area | Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, on the southern side of the Seoul metropolitan area |
Curriculum and academics
Seoul International School follows an American college preparatory curriculum taught in English, built around a familiar United States grade structure of elementary, middle and high school. The defining feature at the senior stage is Advanced Placement, with the high school reported to offer 24 AP courses and the AP Capstone path of AP Seminar and AP Research. AP lets strong students take university level courses and examinations while at school, which can support applications to United States universities in particular.
For relocating families moving from a North American system, the calendar, grade names and university counselling will feel familiar, and the AP focus gives an academically able child room to stretch. The school reports that all of its graduates go on to higher education, and the autumn college fair brings a large number of university representatives to campus, which signals how central university preparation is to the senior years.
The honest way to judge fit is to weigh the American AP route against the IB offered elsewhere in the city. AP suits a student who wants to choose specific subjects to take at a higher level rather than carrying the IB's full spread, and who may be aiming at United States universities. Ask the school how many AP courses a typical student takes, how the Capstone path works, and where recent graduates have gone on to study.
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Seoul International School fees
Seoul International School sits in the premium band for the capital region, alongside the city's leading American and IB schools. Our Seoul international school fees guide places the premium schools in a band of roughly KRW 38 to 46 million per year and names SIS among the American curriculum options. The published schedule by grade is the figure to plan against, since fees rise with the stage a child enters.
Beyond tuition, budget for a one off registration or application fee, a deposit, and optional costs such as lunches, the school bus, AP examination fees, technology and trips. Fees tend to rise each year, so plan for increases across a multi year stay rather than a flat rate, and check how elementary, middle and high school fees differ.
To see where SIS leaves you against the rest of the region, the fees guide groups schools into tiers, and our shortlist of the best American schools in Seoul sets the comparable options side by side. Ask whether sibling discounts apply and how transport is charged from your neighbourhood, which matters given the Seongnam location.
Admissions
Entry runs from elementary up to high school on the American school year, with assessment suited to the grade a child is joining, a review of recent reports and, for older students, a transcript. As an established and sought after school, SIS can have limited places in popular grades, so early application is important.
International schools in Korea operate under nationality rules that restrict places for Korean citizens, so confirm your family's eligibility before applying, as explained in our Seoul fees guide. Families applying from abroad should check English language expectations and gather the documentation the school requires, and ask how students joining from a different system are supported.
Gather recent reports, standardised assessment results and, for high school entrants, a transcript and any sense of intended AP subjects. Register your interest as soon as your relocation is confirmed and ask about assessment dates and the entry points across the grades.
Location and who goes there
Seoul International School is in Seongnam, in Gyeonggi Province, on the southern side of the Seoul metropolitan area rather than in the city centre. That location suits families living in the southern and south eastern districts and the Bundang and Pangyo areas, which have grown into major residential and corporate hubs, but it means a longer commute from neighbourhoods on the northern side of the river.
The intake is multinational and includes corporate and long settled international families, many based in the southern part of the metropolitan area, drawn by the American curriculum and the Advanced Placement focus. Families relocating to the capital should weigh where they intend to live against the Seongnam campus, since commute shapes daily life.
To see how SIS compares with the schools inside the city and where comparable families tend to live, start from the Seoul city hub and work outward by curriculum, stage and budget.
Seoul International School reviews
We do not yet hold any verified parent reviews for Seoul International School. GlobalSchoolGuide is an independent guide and no school pays to be listed, so we publish a rating only once we have gathered enough verified first hand accounts to be fair to the school and to the families reading them. We would rather show nothing than show an invented score.
If your family has attended SIS we would value your account of the American curriculum, the Advanced Placement programme, university counselling and value for money. Share it through our school reviews hub and we will add verified contributions to this page.
Frequently asked questions
What curriculum does Seoul International School follow?
Seoul International School follows an American college preparatory curriculum taught in English, with a strong Advanced Placement programme reported to include 24 AP courses and the AP Capstone path. It is a secular school covering elementary to high school. Confirm current course options with the school.
Where is Seoul International School?
SIS is in Seongnam, in Gyeonggi Province, on the southern edge of the Seoul metropolitan area rather than in the city centre. It suits families in the southern districts and the Bundang and Pangyo areas, with a longer commute from the northern side of the river.
How much are Seoul International School fees?
SIS sits in the premium band for the region, with the leading schools in the region of KRW 38 to 46 million per year. Budget for tuition plus a registration fee, a deposit and optional costs such as AP examination fees, meals, transport and trips, and confirm the current schedule by grade with the school.
Does Seoul International School offer Advanced Placement?
Yes. SIS is known for its Advanced Placement programme, reported to include 24 AP courses and the AP Capstone path of AP Seminar and AP Research, which lets able students take university level courses while at school. Confirm the current AP list with the school.
When do Seoul International School applications open?
Entry runs across the grades on the American school year, with assessment suited to the grade. Nationality rules restrict places for Korean citizens, so confirm eligibility, share recent reports and check the current admissions criteria directly with the school, and apply early.
